Diabetes mellitus and comorbidities in elderly people from the Lugu community: A critical-reflective analysis

Ageing has a close relationship with chronic non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure. These pathologies are often associated with changes in eating habits and promote crucial physiological changes which act silently in the long term in the elderly population. Due to the speed of urban development and technological advances, there has been an increase in the population's life expectancy. However, it is essential to know the socio-demographic profile and prevalent comorbidities of the elderly population, which can provide a reliable and broad database to enable the outline of strategies and the promotion of efficient health policies. In this sense, the purpose of this editorial is to contribute to the debate surrounding the article that analysed epidemiological data from the Lugu community. Diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cardiovascular pathologies and their comorbidities were the most prevalent conditions in this community. Such data could contribute to develop public policies constructively and assertively, allowing investments in the prevention and treatment of these pathologies.